Yumimi Pang
Northern News Services
Published Monday, June 23, 2008

IQALUIT - The Qikiqtani Truth Commission made the eighth stop on its tour in Iqaluit last week in its year-long investigation of the alleged mass slaughter of sled dogs.

Annie Nowyuk, 72, was among the elders who provided firsthand testimony during the Iqaluit hearings.

Nowyuk moved with her husband and young children to Iqaluit by dog sled team in 1964 from Pangnirtung.

"My husband and I are happy someone is here to talk about the dog issue," said Nowyuk through an interpreter.

Nowyuk recalled that their 15 dogs were killed in 1966.

"(The RCMP) apparently did whatever they wanted with our dogs," said Nowyuk.

At the time, the family lived in Apex and her husband was not employed but provided for the family by going out on the land with his dog team.

Nowyuk recalled that the dogs were skinned and her husband witnessed someone taking the skins away. The carcasses were also removed.

"We didn't know what to do. We were unhappy. How are we going to eat now? How are we going to go to spring camp? We didn't know what to do," she recalled.

Eventually the family had to resort to social assistance for lack of options.

"We have a lot of hurt memories," she said. "I'm telling you the truth, the whole truth."

Nowyuk said she does not hate the RCMP because she appreciates the contributions they have made to the Inuit in the North but that she felt compelled to tell her story.

Nowyuk's story is just one of roughly 150 the Qikiqtani Truth Commission has heard so far after travels to Kimmirut, Cape Dorset, Sanikiluaq, Resolute, Grise Fiord, Arctic Bay, Pangnirtung and now Iqaluit.

The Qikiqtani Truth Commission is a project of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association to investigate the alleged mass slaughter of sled dogs in the 1950s to 1970s.

Many Inuit elders believe the RCMP systematically killed the animals to force Inuit into organized settlements. The RCMP had previously investigated the claims and in 2006 released a 771-page report that concluded that RCMP did kill some dogs, but it was not a slaughter, but targeted killings performed to counter problems including diseased, dangerous or stray dogs.

"I think we're relatively satisfied with what we've heard," said Jim Igloliorte, who is head of the commission.

Igloliorte said witnesses have brought much more to the hearings than just the dog slaughter and other issues have included relocation, housing, education and health issues including sending people away for tuberculosis treatment.

"Personally I'm struck by the degree of emotion that people bring to the commission. Apparently the elders that we're speaking to have been hurt to a significant degree by the incidents that they've witnessed," said Igloliorte.

Igloliorte said the commission expects to begin writing and compiling information at the start of 2009, with the hope of completing a report for the Qikiqtani Inuit Association by September 2009.